Enrichment and Training for Shelter Dogs in a Shelter Dog Training Class
It’s 6:15 on a Wednesday night and there are 8 dogs and 10 people in the auditorium. There’s Tiger and Blackie who are learning sit, stay and look cues with rewards. Duke is shy and just sitting in his volunteer’s lap while being petted and loved. Brady is receiving more advanced training and going through his repertoire of tricks that include touch, spin and paw. Candy is barking and lunging at other dogs, so a barrier is set up to manage the distraction and to help her concentrate while learning. Gracie is going over jumps and building up her confidence to go through a tunnel. Lou is learning that going in a crate will get him a treat, while Lady, who is an older girl, is just surveying all of the activity as she gets some time out of her kennel. Both volunteers and employees participate in bringing these resident shelter dogs for training and much needed enrichment each week. This is a typical Wednesday night in the Shelter Dog Training Class at the Animal Rescue League of Boston.
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